Chris Maclean: If I was Prime Minister for a day...

By Chris Maclean

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Alcoholic beverage Beer Question

Last week I was invited to talk to a group of sixth formers at a local school. At issue was drink and young people. I asked them the question ~ what...

Last week I was invited to talk to a group of sixth formers at a local school. At issue was drink and young people. I asked them the question ~ what would they do if they were in government? What legislation would they pass? Their responses were interesting but it left me pondering on the simple question ~ what legislation would I pass if I were in a position of power? I came up with these. See if you agree.

1/ I would legislate to prevent pub cos and breweries attaching clauses on pub sales preventing them from continuing as pubs. I believe it is wrong to say that when a pub is sold it can no longer sell draught beer. That is a spiteful clause. The pub cos bought the pubs as pubs, traded them hard and, when they were unable to provide the return required, they are systematically destroyed. That is wrong. Let an entrepreneur decide.

2/ I'd ensure all the utility companies were better regulated and that pubs and other small businesses had the same consumer protection domestic customers enjoy. It is scandalous what they have been able to get away with.

3/ I believe many licensees would be 'greener' if the opportunity arose. As a first step I'd encourage local authorities to invite pubs to process their cardboard and glass waste for free and perhaps I'd consider making the breweries and pub cos liable for much of the packaging they generate.

4/ Like the legislation passed some years ago, allowing cars before 1974 to not have to pay a road fund licence (car tax), I'd welcome the exemption of the top 250 (no more and no less) traditional, unspoilt classic pubs, as identified by CamRA (someone would have to do it and they are well placed), from any business rates. The gesture may be small but I believe the recognition of these exemplorary pubs is long overdue. They are as valid as any stately home or monument. They deserve better.

5/ I'd treble the tax on spirits. Maybe more. I'm convinced that much of the so called binge drinking and anti-social behaviour in the media today is primarily caused by the consumption of spirits and spirit based drinks. Call me old-fashioned but when a customer asks for a "treble vodka straight" they are not chosing to experience sociable drinking. I would not presume to prescribe how other businesses trade. No one champions the diversity of pubs more than I. But I feel uneasy about how young people focus on spirits, vodka, shots, shooters and other routes to rapid intoxication.

6/ I 'd overhaul the 2003 Licensing Act completely. I'd propose several levels of licence. A Class A licence might, for example, might only permit lunch and evening drinking as before. A Class B licence might permit all day drinking. A Class C licence might permit late night drinking. An additional permit might be granted to permit smoking. But these licences would be expensive. Those pubs that want to open late and trade all hours would pay for the privelige. And I'd commit them to opening the hours they declare. I dislike the way pubs cherry pck hours to suit their whims.

I'd probably publicly stone the idiot who designed the TEN application form. The idiocy behind that beggars belief. That needs complete rethinking.

Pubs have faced a relentless barrage of legislation in the past few years. More would not be welcomed. I'd like to think these measures would be ~ but I know there will be dissent.

I await the feedback.

Related topics Legislation

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